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MY EARLY CRICKET DAYS.
81

Club against the following clubs, from 1846 to 1867 resulted as follow:

Total
Matches.
Won. Lost. Drawn.
Lansdown 14 8 4 2
Knole Park 12 9 2 1
Clifton 15 10 4 1
[1]Cheltenham College 12 3 3 6
Bedminster 13 12 1 0
Westbury 11 10 0 1
Kingscote 3 2 0 1

The Gentlemen of Gloucestershire v. Gentlemen of Devonshire, at Clifton on the 8th and 9th July, 1862, was our first county match, and the result was very gratifying, and encouraged us to proceed. We did not lay claim to first-class form; but after defeating Devonshire by an innings and 77 runs, we naturally considered that we were not far from it. E. M. was undoubtedly the hero of that match; for he scored 57 out of a total of 219 runs, and captured 6 wickets for 47 runs first innings, and 7 for 21 second. Mr. J. J. Sewell, of Marlborough College fame, played a splendid innings of 65 runs, and with E. M. put on 115 runs for the first wicket. Rarely had any county club made so favourable a start, and my father was delighted with the result. My uncle, Henry and Alfred played; but I was not considered good enough, although I watched every ball bowled.

The return, at Teignbridge on the 25th and 26th August, was rather disappointing to us, for we lost it by 33 runs. It was the first important match I played in, and I scored 18 runs, but did not bowl. Henry made 19, and our total first innings was 92. In the second, with the exception of E. M., 21, and my

  1. Cheltenham College matches were always one day matches which explains the large number drawn.